“Women are not a minority in the world, yet the current state of our industry says otherwise,” Blanchett said, reading from a statement written by her and legendary director Agnes Varda, who delivered the speech in French. “As women, we all face our own unique challenges, but we stand together on these steps today as a symbol of our determination and our commitment to progress. We are writers, we are producers, we are directors, actresses, cinematographers, talent agents, editors, distributors, sales agents, and all of us are involved in the cinematic arts. And we stand today in solidarity with women of all industries.”

“We expect our institutions to actively provide parity and transparency in their executive bodies and provide safe environments in which to work,” Blanchett continued. “We expect our governments to make sure that the laws of equal pay for equal work are upheld. We demand that our workplaces are diverse and equitable so that they can best reflect the world in which we actually live. A world that allows all of us in front and behind the camera, all of us, to thrive shoulder to shoulder with our male colleagues.”

Vulture notes that the presentation took place before the premiere of Eva Husson’s Girls of the Sun, one of only three films featuring female directors at the event. It was part of the 5050X2020 effort that “seeks to get to 50/50 gender representation across the entire Cannes lineup by 2020.” Other notable women in attendance included Kristen Stewart, Léa Seydoux, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, Salma Hayek, and Marion Cotillard.